Contact: Kay Kent, RN, MS, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, (785) 843-0721, or Dr. Randall Rock, KU Student Health Center, (785) 864- 9500
LAWRENCE - A 4-year-old-child, who attended a morning Head Start class at the University of Kansas Dole Human Development Center and an afternoon Head Start class at the Community Children's Center, 925 Vermont St., has died from bacterial meningitis, according to Douglas County Health officials.
The child became ill Wednesday and was life-flighted to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where he died Thursday night.
The Douglas County Health Department today is notifying all parents of children who were in direct contact with the child, as well as county physicians. KU officials are also notifying parents whose children attend other child care programs at the Dole Center.
Bacterial, or meningococcal, meningitis is a severe infection of the bloodstream and lining of the brain and spinal cord. It usually occurs as a single isolated event but clusters of cases are possible. Only people who have been in direct contact with an infected person need to be considered for preventive treatment.
Although most people exposed to the meningococcus germ do not become seriously ill, some may develop symptoms. These include fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and a rash. The symptoms appear usually within five days.
Douglas County and KU officials stressed that children or adults who have had contact with other children who attended the two Head Start classes are NOT considered to have been in close contact.
Parents and others with questions should call the Douglas County Health Department at 843-0721. Dr. Randall Rock and other KU Watkins Student Health Center officials also are available at 864-9500. If phone lines are busy, a brief recorded statement is available at 864-8000.
KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said, "On behalf of the university community, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the family on their tragic loss.
"We are working closely with county health officials," the Chancellor said. "We urge all parents to read carefully the information on meningitis that state health offices and KU are making publicly available."
KU student employees who worked in the Dole Center's Head Start class have been contacted by health officials and preventative medication has been made available to them.
For additional information, consult:
Kansas Department of Health and Environment information sheet on meningitis
http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/pdf/hef/ab1037.pdf
Centers for Disease and Prevention Control Website with information
about meningitis
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm
KU Watkins Student Health Center
http://www.ku.edu/cwis/units/watkins/menin.html